Friday, 1 May 2015

First case of Ebola transmitted through sex

A woman in Liberia may have contracted Ebola through sex with a man who had recovered from the virus.The woman was found to have the virus in mid-March, just over a week after having vaginal sex with a man who reported symptoms of Ebola five months earlier.
Although no sign of Ebola was found in a blood sample taken from the man, tests detected the virus' presence in a sample of his semen.

In previous research, traces of Ebola had been seen in semen months after the onset of symptoms, but it's never been seen this long afterward.

This instance could become the first confirmed case of sexual transmission, or at least prompt further research that confirms the possibility.

Since prior research had detected the presence of Ebola in semen months after contraction, the World Health Organization had recommended that male survivors refrain from sex or use a condom for three months. The current recommendation is now that people avoid contact with a male Ebola survivor's semen or use a condom indefinitely, until more is known.